Put Something Back into Your Community

Volunteers Required for Community First Responder Scheme in Husthwaite and the surrounding areas

Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) is looking for volunteers in Husthwaite and the surrounding areas to join its Community First Responder scheme.

Community First Responders are volunteers who provide immediate life-saving care to members of their local communities in an emergency medical situation, such as heart attack, breathing difficulties or a collapse, in the vital minutes before the ambulance arrives.

The Community First Responder Scheme based in Husthwaite went live in July 2014. Since going live, along with our Responder in Coxwold they have responded to 40 Immediately Life Threatening calls.

The Husthwaite Scheme is made up of 6 Active Volunteers that give up their spare time to help those in need within their Community.

They are trained in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) which delivers a controlled electric shock to restart the heart. First Responders also carry portable oxygen.

Kiri Frampton, Community Defibrillation Trainer for YAS in North Yorkshire, said: "Community First Responders make a valuable contribution to their communities. We know that in many medical emergencies the first few minutes are critical. If effective treatment can be performed within those first minutes, lives can be saved and disability reduced. Being a First Responder can be extremely rewarding and I would encourage anyone who may be interested in taking on the role to get in touch.

"Many people volunteer as a Community First Responder to gain experience, to help their local communities and some people have had personal experience of a loved one needing prompt medical attention and can see the value in this initiative. Volunteers come from all walks of life."

Full training is given to successful applicants who need to be over 18, physically fit and hold a full driving licence having never been banned from driving with no more than three penalty points. Yorkshire Ambulance Service will also run Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks on candidates.

Anyone interested can find out more from by contacting the Community Resilience Team on 0333 1300516 or email responders@yas.nhs.uk